Low Self Esteem Research

Self-esteem creates self-image (Judy and Arin 2004). Low self-esteem has many different manifestations; withdrawal, depression and lack of self-confidence are all symptoms of low self-esteem. Many adolescents express anger and frustration because they do not complete certain tasks easily or efficiently. When these feelings are turned inward they reinforce feeling of low self-esteem (Richard 2005). A research done by Mullis and Chapman (2000) on association among gender, age, self-esteem and found that adolescents having high self- esteem focused on problem solving and emotion focused strategy was used by those adolescents having low self-esteem. Arslan, Hamarta and Uslu (2010) studied relationship between life

When social conditions provide support and opportunity to fulfil these basic needs, personal growth, vitality and well-being are enhanced (Chirkou, Ryan, Kim, & Kaplan, 2003; La Guardia, Ryan, Couchman, & Deci, 2000 as cited in Ryan & Deci, 2004). Relatedness was an addition to the original theory to account for people’s inherent ability to make meaning and connect with others through the internalization of cultural practices and values (Ryan & Deci, 2004).
Terror Management Theory (TMT) in which self-esteem is seen as a culturally based construction derived from integrating specific contingencies valued by society into ones’ own ‘worldview’. TMT paints a somewhat morbid picture—high self-esteem promotes positive affect and personal growth, psychological well-being and coping as a buffer against anxiety in the knowledge of our eventual certain death, and reduces defensive anxiety related behavior. Some researchers propose an integration of Attachment Theory and Terror Management Theory (Mikulincer, Florian, & Hirschberger, 2003 as cited in Pyszczynski

Self-Determination Theory(SDT) argues that true, authentic self-esteem is stable (Kernis, 2003 as cited in Ryan & Deci, 2004) and secure when people are most alive and vital, fully functioning and motivated, when all their ‘needs’ are satisfied. SDT hypothesizes that those with true self-esteem are not concerned with it at all. However, when self-esteem is of concern to people, ‘needs’ are not being met or are out of balance (such as over challenging competencies); self-esteem becomes defensive because it is contingent on heavily invested domains. Self-esteem appears fragile and unstable when cultural values and needs are interjected rather than integrated; given the significance of relatedness as a basic need, people will often forego autonomy and competence to preserve relationships (Assor, Roth, &, Deci, 2004 as cited in Ryan & Deci, 2004) but with obvious negative effects on well-being.
William James (Hewitt 2005) provide a formula for self-esteem wherein he says that The two elements, feeling good about ourselves (pretensions) and how well we actually do (success), are inextricably linked; we can feel better about ourselves by succeeding in the world but also by varying the levels of our hopes and